My history lesson for today... I'd seen several of these yellow flags with a coiled snake when I last visited Baton Rouge. I asked my aunt, a history buff, and she explained that they originated in the American Revolution and were resurrected recently by many unhappy with the current administration. Well I saw another today at lunch and came back to work to find out what I could about the flag and its history. I found several sites which have some information but I want to know your thoughts. I learned the true name is the Gadsden Flag. Do you believe they mostly used by radicals or supremacists? Is it likely that they will soon be viewed much in the same way as the Rebel flag? Don't Tread on Me: Gadsden Flag History
Not really by supremacists, but by radical anti-government types. There may be some overlap. No, its not politically incorrect in that way and most people have never noticed it at all. But it has come to be associated with a certain radical anarchy.
Lately, the same can be said about the Stars and Bars. There is nothing wrong with the Gadsden and it has been used "unofficially" by American military units forever. I like it and I like the spirit it represents.
Random fact: You can find one in the movie The Patriot (orange background) in the final battle scene. A coach/history teacher from Parkview Baptist in Baton Rouge carried the flag in the early scenes of the battle.
I know this thread is about the Gadsden Flag but let me sidetrack for a second. The Rebel Flag was referred to as "politically incorrect." The Rebel Flag was a battle flag. Its primary purpose was to distinguish one side against another. Nothing more. It had no ideology attached to it; there were no values attached to it. It was strictly functional. Thousands of Southerners fought and died under it. They were fighting not for slavery, but for the South. As such, the flag should be honored by all Southerners. Beginning in the 50s the flag began to be used as a symbol of white supremacy. That is regrettable. At some lynchings of blacks the flag was used. Doubly regrettable. While I can certainly understand the attitude of most African-Americans concerning the flag, it must be understood that today most whites do not see it as a symbol of white supremacy. Some, of course, still do but that is because they are fundamentally ignorant. The flag should not be viewed as "politically incorrect" (God, I hate that arrogrant phrase). If anyone looks at those pictures of lynchings and other racist gatherings, he will also likely see the American Flag. Does that mean the American Flag should also be considered politically incorrect? The Flag should not be blamed for the way it is used; only people can be blamed for that. Side note: Although many people refer to the Rebel Flag as the Stars and Bars, it is not. The Stars and Bars was the national flag of the Confederacy. As such, it did have the values of the Confederacy attached to it. Oddly, most African-Americans seem to have no problem with this flag.
BB, just to be clear, in my above post I was referring to the American flag...not the confederate flag. Sorry for any confusion.
